


A Kiss to be Shared

by red_clover_and_queen_annes_lace



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: F/F, based on a tumblr post i made
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28626108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_clover_and_queen_annes_lace/pseuds/red_clover_and_queen_annes_lace
Summary: A photo is captured of the infamous Carmen Sandiego looking rather close to an unknown woman. The photo goes absolutely viral as people furiously try to find any trace of who Carmen’s potential lover is. Julia’s students notice she looks remarkably similar to the woman in the photograph. Cue an interrogation from Julia’s university kiddos going absolutely apeshit over the fact their prim and proper professor has probably (definitely) made out with with an infamous international super thief. Meanwhile VILE finds their own way to utilize the photo.
Relationships: Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep & Shadowsan, Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep & Zack, Ivy & Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Ivy & Zack (Carmen Sandiego), Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Player & Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Comments: 32
Kudos: 353





	1. Chapter 1

Of all the people who had to see it first, of course it was Shadowsan. He had always been an unfortunately early riser, and Carmen was decidedly, well, not. Between taxing capers, and constant jet lag, and time zone complications the woman in red hardly had the discipline to wake up early. 

As it turns out, however, having your stern, almost perpetually disappointed, father figure shove a news article in your face studded with a picture of you kissing the woman he had explicitly called a danger to their team who could not be trusted, was more effective than any alarm clock. Even if it was four am. Which it was.

“Shit!” Carmen growled, snatching the phone from him and squinting at its bleary glow. The news article was long and dramatic, rattling on and on about “Carmen Sandiego’s intense love affair”. There were already thousands of comments in various languages puzzling out the identity of her mysterious lover. 

Carmen groaned and raked a hand through her tangled bedhead. Thankfully, Jules was partially obscured by Carmen’s hat and hair and, well, mouth, but her dark hair and pale hands gripping Carmen’s lapels were all too clear. 

Carmen looked reluctantly back up at Shadowsan, who was looking down at her with a displeased frown. The lines of his face looked more pronounced.

Carmen sucked in a breath. “Would you believe me if I said I’m sorry?”

“No.”

Carmen looked at him sheepishly. 

Shadowsan let out a relenting, almost humored sigh. “I know what it is like to be young and in love. None of this is your fault.”

She brightened. “Thank you, Shadowsan. I’ll try to make sure this causes as few problems as possible.”

“I appreciate that,” he replied stiffly. “However, if that girl turns out to be a spy for ACME or ever dares to break your heart, she will have me to deal with.”

Carmen smiled at the protectiveness. Despite the fact that she would rather lose all the treasures in the world than see anyone lay a finger on Jules, the sentiment was endearing all the same. 

“Thank you. But I can promise you Jules isn’t an ACME agent anymore. She works at a university in Poitiers. She teaches World History. Anyway, I’ll call Player and see what can be done about the digital side of this new gossip.”

“And for the rest of the issues this causes?” Shadowsan asked wearily.

“I’ll just face them head-on,” Carmen determined, face steely.

“I hope you know, when it comes to Zack and Ivy, head-on might not serve you well.”

Oh god Zack and Ivy, Carmen realized with horror. They would never let her live this down. She fell back onto her pillow with a plop, muffling her groans with her palms. 

Shadowsan gave her one last concerned look before leaving her to her dread.

Carmen decided to go on a run that morning, hoping to dispel some of the nervous energy fluttering in her stomach. It was still dark and the classic San Diego fog hung thick and warm in the streets. 

She clad herself in dark workout gear- a cautionary measure that made her miss her signature red. 

It was always nice to get out in the morning, stretching and warming her muscles, seeing how far she could push herself. She had long familiarized herself with the streets of the city and jogged a new route each time. It was partially to avoid unwanted tracking and partially because she was easily bored in the same routine. 

Julia surprised her by being like that too. Their few meetings had been wound in joint attempts at cases or the aching recovery in each other’s hotel rooms, wearily stitching scratches and complaining about bruises over the hot black coffee Julia was so good at making.

Jules had always seemed like such an orderly, routine driven woman. She had a certain pattern for everything, how she treated injuries, how she assessed capers, how she organized her books.

Jules seemed like the kind of person who could be content with any small thing forever, constantly drinking in its same charms with the same curious delight. 

But being a teacher had made Julia restless. She often messaged Carmen wistfully asking about her travels. Work was always “pleasant”, “normal”, “mundane”. She talked about taking combat training and haunting libraries and exploring the world as far as her new career confines allowed. 

Julia was ravenous for the world in the way Carmen was, that intense gnawing hunger that no one else seemed to understand. She had felt it the first moment she had met her, but only realized what it was after a couple of cases together. Jules had managed to see Carmen exactly as she was, a truth that felt more intimate than anything Carmen had ever experienced. Carmen was like her nesting dolls, gently shucked of layers and armor, until she was just a raw fundamental core, reaching out to Julia like a tether to the world. 

When Carmen told Julia she had laughed at her.

“You think I am fascinated by every little thing around me?”

“You always seem to be?”

“No Carmen, I’m just fascinated by every little thing about you.”

Carmen’s lungs began to burn, and her legs began to ache. She kept pushing, feeling her feet push off the cracked concrete, the power bursting from her movements. She turned back in the direction of headquarters. 

As she ran, she spoke into her headset, trying to get Player on the phone. He didn’t pick up so she left a barebones message.

“Hey Player, we have a bit of a delicate situation going on, though if you’ve been on the internet at all today you already know. Call me when you can about how we can deal with this. Thanks, you’re the best..”

As she neared HQ the sun began to rise, dying the dusky sky a pure bloody orange. She allowed herself to be washed in its light, watching it cut smugly through the swaths of fog. 

Into the belly of the beast, she mused to herself as she moved forward, unlocking the front door. She expected to be ambushed by a pair of redheads but found the house blissfully quiet aside from the low murmurs of the coffee maker. 

Carmen entered the kitchen cautiously, only to find Shadowsan leaning against the counter sipping a mug of coffee. He raised his eyes to her in greeting. 

She nodded in return and grabbed a tall glass of water, sucking it down like a woman who had been dying of thirst. 

With the energy of the run fading and her thirst slaked Carmen decided to start breakfast, toasting slices of focaccia and frying eggs. It ended up being a mistake because, of course, as soon as Zack smelled food he was out of bed, but what was she supposed to do- a woman has to eat!

She heard creaking from above her as he woke and got out of bed before there was a loud strangled noise followed by laughing. His footsteps thundered as he yelled “Ivy, Ivyyy! I have something you gotta see!”

Carmen rolled her eyes and took a bite of food. Zack meant well, he truly did. Both of them did. It was all just teenage fervor and harmless teasing, but the photo and the articles were all invasions of a private solace she had found. Having all her loved ones be inevitably in on it was a shift she was not excited for. 

“Oooohhh, Carhm,” Ivy said, voice still rasped with sleep, “You didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend.”

“And it’s Julia too,” Zack piped unhelpfully from behind her, “Way to go Carhm.”

“Thanks,” Carmen retorted dryly, “Eggs are in the pan by the way.”

“Aw yes, breakfast,” Zack said happily, barging past his sister. 

“How’d they get that pic of you two Carhm? Also, you wanna know all ship names and conspiracy theories they’ve come up with? Some of them are pretty funny,” Ivy said.

“I’d really rather not hear what people are saying about my girlfriend and me online, thank you very much,” Carmen sniffed, “And they got that picture from an Eid ceremony in Karachi.”

“Oh, I remember that case,” Ivy said thoughtfully, “We were saving the original Ajaz Anwar watercolor painting collection!”

“Yup, that was the one,” Carmen said, taking another swig of coffee. “Before Jules quit.”

“Aww, grumpy you can’t see your ‘corrupted civilian lover’?” Zack asked from the stove where he was scooping eggs onto a plate. 

“Seriously?”

“What, can’t we talk about ‘Carmen Sandiego’s seduced victim’?”

Carmen glared.

“Is something wrong ‘Thief of treasures and hearts’?”

“Oh dear lord, who did I kill in a past life to deserve this!” Carmen cried, setting her fork on the table with just a little too much force. Her cheeks flamed.

“Aw, Carhm you know all that stuff is bullshit. I don’t believe it and most people are calling the picture ‘shopped anyway,” Zack comforted, sitting down at the table with her and Ivy. He handed his sister a plate and continued. “The only reason I believe it is because you have not stopped talking about Julia since you met her. Even the other ACME agents have noticed.”

“Wait really?” Carmen gaped. Surely she didn’t talk about Jules THAT much.

“Yeah, I think you made Devineaux sad cause you don’t pay attention to your rivalry cause you’re busy quipping about Jules being better than him.”  
“In my defense, she is better so there’s that.”

Zack shook his head with amusement. “So when were you gonna tell us you two were together?”  
“Preferably when VILE was dismantled so the information couldn’t be potentially tortured out of you.”

The table went silent.

Ivy gave an awkward cough, “Yeah, that’s a good reason.”

Carmen shrugged, “But now that the cat’s out of the bag I’m just going to try to see what Player can do to stem the internet speculation and make sure Jules’s identity isn’t discovered.”

Zack sighed in concession, “That sounds good, though I wish you could have normal relationship gossip that comes with giggling and teasing and whatnot.” 

Carmen smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “Me too bud, but this lifestyle requires discretion that normal love lives can’t afford.”

“So was that like a peck or did you guys-”

“Zack!” Carmen shrieked, just as her headset blipped from an incoming call. 

She pushed her long hair (and embarrassment) aside and pressed her fingernail against a little button.

“Hey Red,” greeted a sheepish teenage voice. 

“So I’m guessing you saw.” 

“Unfortunately,” Player said. “I can try to hack some news websites and post articles about the picture being fake, but that’s about it. If I delete it everyone will be suspicious which will only add fuel to the fire.

“Thanks, Player, that would be perfect. And as for Jules-”

“I’ve been monitoring any internet activity regarding her identity, speculative, VILE, or otherwise. She’ll be perfectly fine as long as you remember to call her about the situation and not leave her in the dark like a terrible girlfriend.”

“Yeowch,” Carmen hissed into the phone, “That felt very pointed. Maybe I’ve already called her.”

“Have you?” said a dry voice that already knew the answer.

“No.”

“Yeah okay, I’m going to go intently monitor internet activity because you two couldn’t be bothered to find a goddamn closet or empty corner like any other respectable couple, and you should probably go call your ‘more than just a partner in crime’.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Carmen said as he hung up the phone.

Ivy and Zack looked at her expectantly. 

“I just got relationship advice from a fourteen-year-old.”

The two redheads burst out laughing.

************

As it turned out, it was Julia who called Carmen first. 

“Mon Coeur,” The other woman purred into the phone, making Carmen shiver.

“My Jewel,” Carmen greeted back, butterflies flitting against her stomach lining. She hated that her criminal reputation had caused such an invasion of privacy in her girlfriend’s life.

“Are you alright today?” Julia asked, “I know publicity is the last thing you want right now. Or ever.”

Carmen hummed in agreement, “It’s never great, but I’m more worried about you. Has anyone realized you look like the woman in the picture?”

“Don’t worry,” Julia assured good-humoredly, “I doubt anyone could put together that was me, I’m hardly interesting enough to warrant that much attention, and I was partially obscured in the photo.”

“I think you are interesting enough to warrant all sorts of attention,” Carmen said before she could stop herself.

Julia giggled.

Carmen ached to hold her.

“I have a class starting now so I have to go, I’ll call you this evening Darling.”

“Of course, I love you,” Carmen said, trying not to worry.

“I love you too Mon Coeur.” A chorus of “oohs” and cooing noises erupted in the background. Julia gave a sheepish laugh at her students’ teasing and hung up the phone. 

Carmen slipped the burner phone into her pocket and stalked out of her bedroom. Shadowsan stood there solemnly waiting for her. 

She gave him a long hard look. “It’s done, she doesn’t suspect a thing. But I don’t understand why we couldn’t tell her.”

He shook his head, “If she knew she might act different, try to protect her students. Which is natural but if they sensed she has been informed of anything and their code has been broken they will initiate the plan immediately. Secrecy is our only chance to bring her home safe.”

Carmen nodded. “Player?” she said into her headset.

“Here, Red.”

I’m going to be needing a jet. I’m taking an unplanned vacation in France.”

“It’ll be ready in ten. And Carmen?”

“Yes?”

“Be careful.”


	2. Chapter 2

Julia had shrieked when she checked her phone that morning. Dozens of news apps were blowing up her notifications with pictorial evidence of “Carmen Sandiego with her Mysterious Girlfriend?!”

There was a photo of the two of them, Julia in a black dress and Carmen in her signature coat in a gallery in Pakistan. Gorgeous watercolors lined the wall behind them, the room dimly lit aside from small lights above the frames of each painting. Julia was grabbing Carmen’s crimson lapels, pulling her close. Carmen had one arm around Julia’s waist and one on her back, pushing her against the taller woman’s body. They were kissing, a real kiss, with Carmen’s hair hanging half in front of Julia’s face.

“Dear God,” she muttered to herself scrolling through the most popular posts. There were whole twitter threads gawking at them, theorizing her identity (it wasn’t as interesting as they were hoping), screaming about the fact that The Carmen Sandiego is queer, and deciding whether or not Julia had been brainwashed into kissing her.

Thankfully none of the guesses were even remotely close to her, mostly other well-known thieves or celebrities who had similar builds and coloring. They had no reason to guess it was some random history professor in Poitiers, nor did anyone look at her enough to match her to the woman in the photo. They might have noticed the hourglass shaped birthmark on her wrist of the small dark glasses leg poking out behind her ear, obscured by her equally black hair had they been looking, but no one was.

After spending fifteen minutes surveying the news Julia realized she was going to be late for her class. She threw on a pair of caramel-colored slacks and a white turtleneck sweater and made a travel mug of coffee in record time. She shoved it in the cupholder of her leather satchel and pulled on a pair of black heels before locking her apartment and beginning the walk to her university.

Mornings were Julia’s favorite, walking along the bustling streets and the treelined paths at the school. Her classroom was in the history building at the end of the courtyard. Despite the clapping and murmuring of the oak leaves in the sweet breeze, Julia felt her mind tinged with anxiety. Every few people were talking about Carmen’s scandalous love affair. They were so immersed in it they didn’t even look up at the loud clicking of her heels. No one said anything to her or spared her a longer than average glance.

Julia unlocked her classroom with a small breath of relief. She got settled at her large desk covered in globes and books and maps and coffee mugs. She turned on her laptop, set up the projector, and rehearsed the lesson plan in her head, stalking the front of the room with jittery anxiety.

She wanted to call Carmen. She still had some time before her class started. And god she missed her. Seeing a picture of them together, even if it was plastered all over the internet, made Julia miss their time together. 

Still, Julia rarely called Carmen, Usually out of fear she would wake her (damn timezones) or in case she were working on a case. 

She mulled it over in her head, wanting more and more for her girlfriend to appear in the classroom window, picking the lock and letting herself in like she tended to do.

Finally emotions won out, and Julia dialed a number on the cheap burner phone Carmen had gotten her.

“Mon Coeur,” Julia said when she heard Carmen pick up, trying to hide the desperation in her voice.

They talked for a bit about the photo, and Carmen practically dripped with flattery. Julia let out a bashful (clearly madly in love) giggle, and she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

Julia turned to see some of her students settling in their seats, looking at her with interest. She kept a very professional distance from her students and they knew next to nothing about her personal life. 

Julia made a small noise of surprise before gently warning Carmen she had a class to teach.

“Of course, I love you,” came Carmen’s voice. Lord, the way that woman said “I love you”- she said it like a solemn oath, a prayer bound with intensity and passion. 

It made Julia melt every time. Her cheeks flamed.

“I love you too Mon Coeur,” Julia promised, once again forgetting the classroom of students in front of her. 

Several kids- they were adults but to Julia they may as well have been infants- whooped and whisted at her parting words. 

Julia giggled awkwardly.

“Damn professor Argent, you got a secret boyfriend you’re not telling us about?”

Julia smiled secretly. “I can promise you, Mr. Badeaux, I do not have a secret boyfriend.” The student didn’t seem to believe her.

“Of course she doesn’t,” Shouted a girl with lavender-streaked hair, “She’s clearly gay!”

Julia blushed harder. “Well this isn’t really an appropriate conversation for a classroom setting,” she turned to the girl, “But I’m glad you could tell.”

Several people started laughing.

“Anyway today we will be talking about the effects of the Silk Roads on North Africa-”

“Wait you’re gay?” Innterrupted a student in a grey bigfoot t-shirt.

Oh here we go, Julia thought, time to get hate crimed. “Yes Mr. Faucher, I am a lesbian, now if we could get back to the lesson…”

The boy whipped out his phone, scrolled for something and peered at it closer. 

“You know, you look kinda like the lady who was photographed with Carmen Sandiego.”

There were a few surprised murmurs of agreement.

“Holy shit this is the first time you haven’t been wrong in this class Bennet,” Said a thin girl named Rosalie who was constantly raising her hand. 

Julia just gaped at them. Well, this is all a very pleasant conspiracy but in North Africa-”

“You’re blushing Professor,” stated a straightforward girl named Natalia, “Care to explain?”

Julia rolled her eyes. “I’m not blushing because you’re right I’m blushing because you’re trying to imply I am romantically involved with a criminal and I feel incredibly awkward about it.” 

“Objection!” yelled a boy with mousy brown hair.

“Stricken from the record!” boomed a girl.

Julia quickly felt her hold on her class relinquishing.

“No but think about it,” said a tall boy with curly clack hair, who stood up in emphasis, “What do we know about Professor Argent, nothing! Every other professor rambles on and on about their past like their life depends on it. For all we know it could have been shady crap with thieves and stuff.”

There were a few empathetic nods. A few people shouted “yeah” and egged on more speakers, more for entertainment than for actual belief. 

“Plus, Professor Argent has a bunch of stuff from all over the world! How did she get all that if not traversing the world with thieves?” Natalia added. 

“Some people just travel the world the boring legal way,” Julia said dryly (not her but they didn’t need to know that). 

“Then why is the phone you called votre coeur on a different phone than the one you normally use.”

Julia gaped. “Why on earth are you so familiar with my personal belongings?”

The girl shrugged. You don’t tell us much about yourself, and we have to have something to gossip about for every teacher.

“That’s, good to know.” Julia replied, mentally rescheduling her silk roads lecture to a different day.

“You still haven’t answered the question,” Damian prompted, kicking his feet up on his desk.

“Please don’t do that Mr. Lavigne,” Julia reprimanded half-heartedly. She desperately needed to get out of this conversation. Especially considering she was worrying her cheeks were about to overheat.

Every student had their phones out, squinting hard at what she assumed was the photo of her and Carmen and looking back at her. 

“Okay but like Carmen Sandiego is super hot so I wouldn’t blame you,” Damian continued.

Julia felt a flare of jealously. It took all her self control not to narrow her eyes. “Well considering this recent media outburst I’m afraid that particular opinion is rather futile.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Jealous Professor?”

Something flew at Julia from the opposite side of the room in a rapid blur. Her ACME training kicked in and she snatched it out of the air with one hand, despite it having been just a blip in her periphery. She slammed it down on her desk.

The class went silent, but stared at her with smug confirmation. She had accidentally proved something to them. Well, if they wanted government agent Julia, they could have it.

“That is quite enough,” She stated in a voice deadly sweet, eyes flared with anger.

Everyone sat at attention, so silent you could hear a pin drop. No one had ever seen her angry before.

“Taunting gossip and throwing things is unnaceptable behavior in any classroom. You learned it in primary school. It will no longer happen in my classroom. You all may think you know something interesting about me now. Why don’t you use your wildest imaginations as to what my past could possibly be, then remember whose goddamn classroom you’re in, and who exactly you are pissing off, when you pull shit like that! Now take out your textbooks and read chapter fifteen.”

She cut off her words like a cliff, daring them with a fatal silence. Her eyes scanned the room with the predatory precision of a hawk, and every student grabbed their textbooks and worked like they never had before. 

The class was five hours long and Julia had never had such a relaxing time. She softened a little on her students, letting them go on their computers or eat snacks or chat, but there was a new quiet respect that disciplined the classroom. As much as Julia was opposed to intimidation as a persuasive tactic, it certainly was effective. 

As the five hours neared their end a sweet student plucked up her courage. “Professor Argent? I wanted to say sorry about invading your privacy. We meant no harm, it just seemed like a fun conspiracy, but we shouldn’t have acted like that.”

“Thank you Sophie, it’s all right,” Julia said with an indulgent nod. “I understand that it certainly would be a fun conspiracy, but I must disappoint, I am not in a relationship with Carmen Sandiego.”

“Is that so? I must have the wrong classroom then,” said a familiar voice.

Julia rolled her eyes at the dramatics and turned the the window, where a certain woman in red was perched. Her students stared with her, gaping.

“What are you doing in my classroom Scarlet Santa Rosa?” Julia asked, “You prove quite the distraction for my students.”

“My apologies Jules,” Carmen said walking towards her and humbly removing her hat in a theatrical little bow. “I just have a little gift to deliver to my darling love. I thought it was you, but I heard you tell that student you weren’t in a relationship with the one and only Carmen Sandiego.”

“Did I,” asked Julia, grinning despite her confusion, “I must have misspoke.”

“Oh of course,” Carmen said, sauntering beside her, “Easy mistake.” Carmen slid an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her temple.

Julia ignored her open-mouthed students.

“Darling,” she whispered, “What are you doing.”

“Dropping off a gift,” Carmen replied easily before pulling her close and pressing her lips to Julia’s ear.

“VILE had identified you from the picture using infiltrated ACME records. They are planning to kidnap you as bait for me, and will torture your students to get to you. We just replaced the camera feed with the recording of a class you held last week but we don’t have much time before they sense something is off and pounce on us.”

Julia looked at her for a moment and nodded. She headed to her desk where she kicked off her shoes and replaced them with the ACME books she kept in a drawer. She clipped her gasgun to her waist and took the data chip from her phone and stuck it in the shedder. Then she turned to her students.

“There is a threat to your safety in the building. If you want to make it home alive you will have to follow me quietly and trust Carmen. Can you do that?”

Everyone nodded, eyes wide with horror. 

Julia gave one determined nod and climbed on top of her desk, removing a panel from the ceiling. “I had a plan in case this happened. I’ve already tested it, this route out is safe. Now everyone leave all your phones and personal belongings in the classroom and climb up like I do.”

Julia hoisted herself into the attic space, balancing on beams of wood over a sea of fiberglass insulation. Her students followed, assisted by Carmen from below, with Julia pulling them up.  
When the last student was up and balanced on a beam Carmen joined them and carefully replaced the ceiling panel. Julia led them across the small wood bridges until they reached a small window. She pushed it open and climbed out to a secluded roof space that connected right to student housing. The sounds of a room being violently torn apart erupted beneath them.

“Come on,” she whispered quietly and each of her students clambered out, faces white and clammy. 

Julia lead them to a window that opened into a dorm hallway and Carmen picked it open, 

“Get everyone in their dorms,” she instructed, “Barricade the doors and windows.”

They nodded and climbed down into the building. When Julia and Carmen didn’t follow Rosie looked at them, face bright with concern.

“Now that they’ve found the classroom empty, they’ll go to the files to see who could have information on me. We have to destroy them before VILE can get their hands on them, and erase any evidence of my employment here.” She gave them a sad smile. “It has been a pleasure teaching your class.” 

The students waved back at her grimly, before rushing off to corral everyone in their dorms.

Carmen looked at her in worry but Julia only shook her head. “We have to go to the main office and purge the records from all school data, you have a device that does that right?”

“That device being player, yes.” Carmen said, grabbing Julia’s hand. “Where to boss?”

Julia silently led her to the office building and they dropped in through a window. The secretary working at the desk shrieked at the sight of Carmen and stared at Julia with Muted betrayal.

“The students’ lives are in danger,” Julia said impatiently, “Kindly step aside from that computer and no one will get hurt.”

The woman stared at her. Sirens began wailing outside. Doors sounded as though they were being ripped off their hinges down the hall. Soon it would become a full on gun-fight between ACME the police and VILE and Julia desperately did not want be be there when it erupted. 

“NOW!” Julia growled. The woman stepped aside and ran out the door to the police cars. Carmen leapt over the desk and shoved something into the computer’s plug.

“Player we need a complete purge of any evidence that Julia was here,” She pleaded breathlessly into her headset. 

The computer began to flash various colors, looking as though someone else was controlling it. 

Slowly files began to disappear, and a small progress bar filled in agonizingly slow increments.

The banging grew closer. The police were screaming into the building, ordering them to surrender. 

“Any time now,” Carmen begged nervously into her headset. Player made what sounded like an exasperated remark. He was the fastest there was, and was nopt afraid to remind them. 

A loud thud erupted from just one wall away, and something wood sounding shattered. There was no screaming, everyone seemed to have evacuated. Besides, VILE couldn’t care less about people who didn’t know Julia.

Heavy footsteps crept closer. The door began to rattle. Carmen was praying now, or cursing, Julia couldn’t tell in Spanish. The progress bar reached one hundred just ad the wood door cracked, revealing a huge burly man with a metal bat. 

Carmen ripped the device from the computer and she and Julia ran to the window they had entered from, the front door being blocked by police. Julia had just slipped onto the roof when the man broke through the door and started barreling towards Carmen. The other woman pulled herself up and Julia grabbed her and pulled her into a run when Carmen had barely stumbled to her feet. 

“Ivy and Zack have the getaway vehicle a few rooms to the right of you classroom!” Carmen panted as they sprinted, thundering footsteps close behind, a few tendrils of hot breath brushing Julia’s neck.

Julia ran like she had never run before, sucking huge gulps of air into her burning lungs. 

“Start driving!” she shrieked as they neared the edge and she felt a hand swipe centimeters short of her back. 

The engine revved. 

Without stopping or looking back Carmen and Julia leapt off the roof, hands clutched together, legs waving in the air. They landed hard in the backseat of Carmen’s red car, thanking every god in existence the roof was open. Pain shot up Julia’s leg, but she smiled and buried herself in Carmen’s sweaty neck anyway.

The man chasing them leapt too, but Zack had already driven the car too far.

He collided to the asphalt with a sickening wet crack, and Carmen had been to terrified to look back. It was okay, she had already seen enough. 

The news of the incident came out a day later, when all of team red was safely back at HQ. It reporting a few injuries but no deaths, and the man responsible in prison. T=Several students gave passionate recounts of Carmen Sandiego saving their lives by helping them escape. As for a supposed “Julia Argent” who had once worked in the building, the students claimed they had no memory of her, looking at their teachers a little funny when they asked about her. And her apartment was conveniently empty when police came looking for her. Of course, she hardly needed any of her old furniture when she was moved into the Sandiego headquarters, where the room she was assigned and free to decorate happened to be right next to Carmen’s, so it got little decoration nor use.

Carmen and Julia, ever the charitable souls, relieved the media of any mystery romances by sharing a kiss after each case, sure to be photographed and published that same night, and maybe cheered over by a few students in Poitiers. But who knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not reread or edit or revise or beta or write at a reasonable hour of the day because I am... not good at planning things.

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a tumblr post I made, you can check it out right here: https://silverandjules.tumblr.com/post/639527799636508672/okay-hear-me-out-a-photo-is-captured-of-the


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